by tunmer

New Pains of Being Pure at Heart Single, “Heart In Your Heartbreak”

The fact that The Pains at Being Pure at Heart can make a lyrically anguished song like “Heart in Your Heartbreak,” sound so damn cheery is an achievement in itself. It’s a power pop ballad about falling victim to the vixen that cast you aside and it’s simultaneously sweet, fun, pathetic and resilient.

It’s a multifaceted song with edgy electric guitar, effervescent and gliding vocals and a fun, dance summoning synth bit toward the end. It begins immediately with a really cool line that kind of epitomizes the single: “Take a look around when you’re goin down cause you’ll never get so high.”

California based label Slumberland will release the single on December 14th as a teaser for upcoming album Belong, their second full length to be released in March 2010.
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart “The One” by Slumberland Records

12.09.10

by Sedera Ranaivoarinosy

Radio Silence NYC Join Fight Against Bullying in Debut Video, “Renegade”

The four boys of Radio Silence NYC are adding their voices to the fight against bullying with the help of DoSomething.org in their first music video for the song “Renegade.” The video, directed by Ron Jaramillo, opens with the sad statistic that 6 out of 10 American teens witness bullying at least once a day, and is a valuable call to teens everywhere to do their bit in order for it to stop. The song’s chorus says it clearly, “hatred is the enemy.”

Watch the video below:

If you want to know more about the cause and ways to get involved, go to www.DoSomething.org.

12.09.10

by Justin Sarachik

Mister Heavenly Adds a Star to It’s Already All-Star Lineup

Mister Heavenly is the new brain child of Man Man’s Honus Honus, Islands’ Nick Thorburn, and Modest Mouse’s Joe Plummer. Deriving the sound from a mixture of their own bands style, they have now added movie star Michael Cera on bass for the rest of the West Coast portion of the tour.

Cera has previously worked with Thorburn in the Islands’ video for “No You Don’t” as one of the actors. Cera has played characters who were bassists in both Scott Pilgrim Vs the World and Nick & Norah’s Infinite Play List, now he gets to do it for real.

Mister Heavenly is on tour with and opening for band, Passion Pit. Their first show was at Seattle’s Moore Theater. Check out the video from Pitchfork down below.

12.09.10

by Sedera Ranaivoarinosy

4AD and The Red Hot Organization Donate $1,000,000 Thanks To The Album Dark Was The Night

As World AIDS Day on December 1st reminded us that AIDS is still a threat and continues to kill, good news came to us from the folks of 4AD and the Red Hot Foundation. In February 2009, 4AD released Dark Was The Night, a musical collaboration conceived and produced by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, and Red Hot founder John Carlin, and its sales have now raised $1,000,000 for charity!

The compilation is made up of 32 exclusive tracks by Arcade Fire, Blonde Redhead, Bon Iver, Cat Power, The Decemberists, Dirty Projectors + David Byrne, Grizzly Bear, The New Pornographers, Spoon, and Sufjan Stevens… the list goes on. Each band has recommended a charity to which the funds raised will be donated. This is the 20th album put out by The Red Hot Foundation, which has been working to help fight AIDS since 1989. You can still purchase it HERE.

Here is the list of the charities chosen to receive Red Hot grants:
Advocates For Youth (recommended by The National)
After Hours Project, Inc (recommended by Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings)
AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (recommended by Bon Iver)
A Loving Spoonful (recommended by New Pornographers)
Bronx AIDS Services (recommended by The National)
Camp Amerikids (recommended by The National)
Casey House (recommended by Kevin Drew/Broken Social Scene)
Central City Concern (recommended by Decemberists)
Citta (recommended by David Byne)
Housing Works (recommended by Dirty Projectors)
Nebraska Aids Project (recommended by Conor Oberst)
Out Youth (recommended by Iron & Wine)
Partners In Health (recommended by Arcade Fire)
San Francisco AIDS Foundation (recommended by Kronos Quartet)
Tamasha (recommended by Sufjan Stevens)
In addition to Terrence Higgins Trust, PSI/YouthAIDS, and CHAI.

12.09.10

by tunmer

The Sword travels to “Lawless Lands” in New Single

“Lawless Lands” is the second chapter in the epic tale of The Sword’s mystical travels from Earth to Space, called Warp Riders, also the name of their latest album. “Lawless Lands” is the next installment after the first chapter, “Tres Brujas” or “Three Witches” in English. As one could surmise from the title, the Texas metal outfit in a haze of “sacred smoke” encounter three witches in “Tres Brujas,” the first of whom will “rob,” the second will “deceive,” and the third will “show you the way.”

As a perfect segue, the third bruja shows The Sword the way into “Lawless Lands,” or outer space, as it turns out. “Lawless Lands” immediately takes a new musical tone from “Tres Brujas,” from epic to looming doom with the change of riffing, fast paced guitar to slower, more ominous bluesy rhythms. The video looks like a hodgepodge of old school sci-fi movies like Willow and The Dark Crystal with some Star Trek mixed in, centered around some chick who is part goth princess, part child empress from Never Ending Story.

The Sword puts a fantasy twist on metal with “Lawless Lands” and the rest of Warp Riders that is nothing short of totally awesome. The Sword is currently on an American tour for the release of Warp Riders through mid December.

12.09.10

by jill ettinger

Summer Camp Release “Christmas Wrapping” Cover Just For You

If you think about it, Christmas is kind of like summer camp, just with snow, presents and fewer kayaking incidents. Fitting then that British duo, Summer Camp have holiday presents for all of you. Yay Christmas! They’ve covered the classic Waitresses track, “Christmas Wrapping,” which like all good presents, is free.

With a full-length release slated for Summer 2011, Summer Camp have released their debut EP, Young, with praises calling it an “effervescent slice of indie pop” (Pitchfork) and “gorgeous vocal that traces the arc of a girl group melody.” (Uncut)

Videos from Summer Camp’s Young for your viewing and listening pleasure:

View the videos for the singles “Round the Moon” and “Ghost Train”
http://player.vimeo.com/video/14041632

SUMMER CAMP – Round the Moon from Paddy Power on Vimeo.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/9814265

Summer Camp – Ghost Train (viral) from Paddy Power on Vimeo.